PNB scam: SC moved seeking life imprisonment for defaulters

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court demanding lifetime imprisonment for those who will be convicted in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.

Advocate JP Dhanda, who filed the petition at the behest of lawyer Vineet Dhanda on Monday, demanded stringent actions against all who are pronounced guilty in the scam.

Speaking to ANI, JP Dhanda said the Finance Ministry should have known about the information regarding this issue.

"This is a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which I have filed before the Supreme Court. It is with regard to the scam which has taken place in the Mumbai branch of Punjab National Bank (PNB). The fraud is of Rs 11,400 crore. Strict action will be taken against those who are involved in this scam. The punishment should be life time imprisonment instead of three to four years of jail," he added.

He further said bank accounts of businessman Nirav Modi should be seized and he should be brought back to India as soon as possible.

"His property should be auctioned in the market and funds should be raised from that," JP Dhanda stated.

CJI Dipak Misra-led bench will hear the PIL filed by lawyer Vineet Dhanda.

Dhanda, in his PIL, also sought action against the PNB top officials involved in the alleged Rs 11,300 crore fraud.

The petitioner has also asked the top court to direct Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to frame guidelines for grant of loans more than Rs 10 crore while demanding a committee of experts to document details of bad debts in the country.

This is the second petition after advocate Manohar Lal Sharma, filed a petition in the top court seeking a Court-monitored SIT probe into the banking fraud.

Niravi Modi and Gitanjali Gems Chairman and Managing Director Mehul Choksi, who are the main accused in the over Rs 11,300 crore scam left India in January.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are probing the matter and conducting searches and raids at various locations linked with Nirav Modi and Gitanjali Gems.

The scam was started in 2011 and was detected in the third week of January this year after which the PNB officials reported it to the concerned agencies.

--ANI